Treasure Buried Deep Within
by BelleDayNight
Summary: Shuuichi Minamino is through with the Spirit Detectives, so he thinks. He is starting archeological research about items that once would have sparked Youko’s thieving nature. His simple life changes when his research partner is Kagome Higurashi.
1. TBDW1

_Disclaimer: I own neither Yu Yu Hakusho nor Inuyasha, but this idea is all mine! Belle_

**Treasure Buried Deep Within**

_A Yu Yu Hakusho x Inuyasha crossover_  
  
Summary: Shuuichi Minamino is through with the Spirit Detectives, so he thinks. He is now starting graduate school doing archeological research about items that once would have sparked Youko's thieving nature. His research partner is Kagome Higurashi and her obsession with the Shikon no Tama is contagious.  
  
**Prologue:**  
  
Shuuichi Minamino looked back down at his college senior ring while he continued to drive his jeep to the site. He was about to meet his research partner. All he knew was that the last name of the individual was Higurashi. Hopefully it wasn't some short, pencil pushing, wimpy guy. He really didn't want to have to deal with any more of those types after spending three years at Tokyo University in the most advanced courses offered being the only one there not in that category.  
  
He smiled as he remembered how proud his mother was of him for graduating Summa Cum Laude. His perfect 4.0 grade point average tarnished by that one blasphemous C he had earned in an Archery kinesiology class. Who would have thought it would be so hard to aim a little stick at a big red circle?  
  
It had been four long years since Koenma had requested his help for anything in the Spirit World. He smiled as the sandy hills of the West coast of Turkey passed by. He didn't know much about this Higurashi fellow, but knew that he too had graduated from a top of the line university in three years with a bachelors in ancient archeological studies. Now they both were earning a masters degree in that same subject.  
  
Shuuichi's inner Kitsune was only appeased now-a-days when the prospect of hunting ancient, obscure treasures was waved under his nose. His days as Kurama, the Spirit Detective were over. As a result, it was getting harder and harder to control his alter personality, Youko Kurama.  
  
As he pulled the jeep up to the front of the digging site he noticed that there was only one other vehicle. It was still early, as a matter of fact, the sun had only risen about half an hour ago and no one was expected to be here until an hour from then.  
  
He grabbed his satchel and tossed it over his shoulder as he locked his jeep and went in search of the other archeologist. He didn't have to look long when he stumbled across someone sitting with their back against the recently excavated dwellings. They were wearing very loose fitting clothing, a baseball cap, and a pair of hiking boots, their attention was drawn to the rising sun.  
  
They seemed to notice him as he approached and removed their hat that obscured their view. Kurama dropped his satchel at the unexpected sight of the sapphire eyes and long obsidian tresses that cascaded down her back as a beautiful smile seemed to light up his world.  
  
She stood before him and extended her hand. "Hi, my name is Kagome Higurashi. You must be Shuuichi Minamino." Kagome smiled at him and he shook her hand firmly, trying to calm the unsteady beat of his heart when he felt that electric connection from when their skin touched.  
  
Looking completely calm on the exterior, he flashed her a heart stopping smile of his own. "It is a pleasure Higurashi-san, please call me Kurama."  
  
Kagome frowned at the odd name but a smile quickly masked her confusion. "No need for the formalities then. Call me Kagome. Why do you go by Kurama?" She inquired, finding it would make a very odd middle name to fit between Shuuichi and Minamino.  
  
"It's just something my close friends in high school used to call me. No one else is allowed to use it, but I figure if we're going to be working so close with each other you might as well use it too." Kurama replied as he finally realized they were still holding hands, though they had ceased shaking a while ago. He retracted his appendage as if it were burned.  
  
Kagome looked down at her hand in puzzlement before quickly placing it behind her back. "Well it is a pleasure to meet you Kurama. Would you like me to tell you what we've started to uncover?"  
  
Kurama's emerald eyes shown with a brief burst of excitement at the suggestion before recovering and appearing as calm gemstones. "Yes, I believe that would be a good idea."  
  
Kagome grinned at him, obviously thrilled at what she was about to share. "I must warn you, in college I focused mostly on Japanese history, but just recently became fascinated with some of the greater wars that have been fought during the history of man kind."  
  
"Have you already read Homer's tale?" Kurama inquired, having a feeling that he knew where this line of thought was headed.  
  
"I admit I only read the book _The Iliad_ because I heard about the filming of the movie." Her smile grew as her sapphire eyes locked with his emerald ones. "I believe we found some pieces of the wooden horse."  
  
"Seriously? They were preserved?" Kurama asked with a slight sense of disbelief. Normally wood would only be preserved after so long in an arid climate, while modern day Turkey was far from humid, this site was near the coast. The salty sea didn't speak well for preservation of such perishable items.  
  
Kagome nodded excitedly. "By all counts all the wood should have been consumed in the fires that destroyed the city, but it makes sense with all the sand that some of the flames wouldn't destroy everything. After the pieces were buried under the pile of ruble they were protected from the elements. We both know the city was abandoned shortly after the great battle."  
  
Kurama rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he allowed his gaze to drift towards the beach that was a few miles away. The Kitsune in him was excited at finding a piece of history. The battle of Troy took place long before even he was born. He respected such artifacts even though he preferred jewels to dead trees. As a matter of fact, if it was a living tree he wouldn't mind so much. Perhaps he could speak with the spirit of the deceased tree. He shook his head at the idea.  
  
"Hurry up, you don't have time to stare off into space. You and I are only going to be working on this site for a little over a week before we get sent to some Mayan ruins." Kagome told him as she tugged on his sleeve to gain his attention. "There is rumor that treasures still lie deep within those American tombs."  
  
With that bit of information offered, Kurama followed her. He could feel the excitement of Youko driving him on to explore the mysteries of the past left behind to endure the elements of the Earth.

**TBC **


	2. TBDW2

**Treasure Buried Deep Within: Chapter 2**  
  
Kurama found himself following the sway of a pair of mesmerizing hips. The long dormant urges of Youko were straining to pull his strings. The urges of Youko had only become dormant during the past few years under rigorous will power of his own. But right now, he could feel his hands itching to grasp those hips however he firmly held himself in check. He clenched his fists at his side and followed with a determined stride that never betrayed his conflict of interests.  
  
Kagome turned to smile at her research partner. "So, any clue why they decided to team up our masterminds?" Her sapphire eyes twinkled with a mixture of excitement and warmth.  
  
An irresistible, lopsided teasing smile appeared on the face of Shuuichi Minamino. "Perhaps it's because they wanted the best." That earned him a lighthearted laugh from the woman before him.  
  
She shook her head, "We better not let them know we're here then, I'd hate to get sent home early when those guys arrive." Kurama fought the urge to smile in return as his gaze slipped past her shoulders towards an area that was currently hidden under a large tent.  
  
"Is that our destination?"  
  
Kagome nodded excitedly and much to Kurama's surprise latched onto his wrist and dragged him behind her the rest of the distance. She waved at a mounted camera outside of the tent, high dollar security at it's best, before pushing aside the flap at the entrance and leading the way inside.  
  
The security personnel were in another tent nearby securing the entire area. They barely noticed the young scientist waving at them as they turned to brew another batch of coffee.  
  
Kurama allowed his emerald orbs to adjust to the dim light inside the tent. He noticed that Kagome still held his wrist within her hand, he was curious if she realized that she was doing so. He didn't bother to bring it to her attention. It felt good to allow a woman to touch him in such a familiar way. Normally, it was not something he would have allowed.  
  
Kagome released him, not seeming to realize the extended contact. Kurama wasn't sure if that made him more or less comfortable. He wouldn't worry about that for now, the curiosity that had always driven him, no matter what lifetime, was jumping up and down in anticipation.  
  
"This is what we have found," Kagome explained as she directed her colleague's attention to the ground. Layers of sand had been brushed away revealing large quantities of petrified wood.  
  
Kurama was skeptical. It was his nature to not believe things at face value without analyzing all the facts. He raised a red eyebrow in inquiry and leaned closer to examine the wood. "What makes you think this is part of the horse? Many things were made of wood in the city of Troy."  
  
That's when Kagome became excited and turned away from him. He watched as she walked towards a box of tools and retrieved two pairs of latex gloves. She put on one pair and offered the other to her partner.  
  
She sat on her knees and picked up a piece of wood that looked to have already been cleaned carefully and gestured for Kurama to join her on the floor. "This my dear friend Minamino, is why we have decided it is from Troy."  
  
Kurama almost corrected her on his name, he wanted to encourage her to call him by Kurama, or Shuuichi at least. He didn't want to be on a last name basis, which was very, unromantic. Not that he was interested in something romantic. He just wanted to get along with his partner. The words stuck in his throat when he noticed the scratch or rather graffiti on the wood. It was quite curious.  
  
"If you think about it, it makes sense. They were inside that horse for many hours. They had to entertain themselves some way." Kagome offered, noticing the look of puzzlement and bewilderment that crossed across his features.  
  
Kurama examined the wood closely. "You are certain of the dating?"  
  
Kagome shrugged. "It's not an exact science but from our measurements it's from the right time frame."  
  
He kept silent. He was familiar with the story that the king by the name of Odysseus had envisioned the use of the Trojan Horse. This scrap of wood seemed a bit too convenient. There was script inside, a poem really. And it was signed by Odysseus. "Have you analyzed the words of the poem?"  
  
Watching him carefully, Kagome sighed. "It's not really anything. Best we can gather it's something about missing his wife. My Greek isn't perfect. I'm not familiar with all the different regional dialects of that time period."  
  
Kurama stopped listening to her. There was only one way for him to know for sure. The wood had been dead far longer that anything he had ever tried to commune with before. He tried to summon it's spirit but it was useless, it had long since departed from the specimen.  
  
"What do you think?" Kagome asked anxiously. Her eyes bore into his own. "I was under the impression that you were an expert when it came to items that were once living plants."  
  
A frown marred Kurama's face as he tried to examine the script again. He set it back down carefully in the original position Kagome had found it. "I apologize, but this particular piece escapes my expertise. Perhaps it has to do with it being petrified."  
  
Kagome rocked on her heels before standing up and stretching. She offered Kurama a hand. "Don't worry Minamino, there are always other ways."  
  
"I would prefer if you didn't call me by my last name, Kagome." Kurama told her gently, his voice revealing a soothing deep timber as he accepted her hand without thinking.  
  
"Certainly Kurama. Come on, I'll show you around and lead you to where we can collect our gear." Kagome began to lead Kurama further into the dark tent. Soon he found that the tent not only protected the petrified wood but also had a system of tunnels. "This is thought to be the underground system that led the surviving Trojans out of the city and away from the blood thirsty Greeks," she explained when she noticed Kurama had paused to examine the architecture.  
  
The two entered into a chamber that was full of electrical equipment. Kagome heaved a large bag onto her shoulders before leading the way back out. Kurama followed, memorizing the details of his environment. It all certainly looked authentic. Looks could be deceiving in this line of business though.  
  
Kagome deposited the bag outside of the tent and started to rummage through the items. She handed Kurama what appeared to be a walkie-talkie, some sort of global positioning device that took images of the earth via satellite connection and analyzed the densities of the land. Next she pulled out what looked like the standard archeological digging tools in a leather bag that could be wrapped around one's waist like a tool belt. Finally she pulled out what appeared to be a watch.  
  
"That's all of the basic equipment we are issued." Kagome sat and observed Kurama as he began to examine the items. "So," Kagome began she was curious about a research paper he had written in reference to a theory that the vegetation of Japan was directly related to the belief in the existence of youkai.  
  
Kurama looked up at her and granted her his undivided attention. His eyes focused on her lips that seemed on the brink of asking some pivotal question. His heart started to race over the possibilities but his outward appearance remained akin to that of a marble statue.  
  
Kagome opened her mouth to ask her question but found herself drowning in his emerald eyes. Her cellular phone, sitting forgotten in her pocket, beeped to life. Startled, she held it out to see the caller's identity. It was a secure line, but anonymous. "Hello?"  
  
Kurama strained to hear what was being said over the phone. He was oddly disappointed that she wasn't able to ask him whatever question she had for him. Granted, it was probably something boring, like in reference to one of his papers, but maybe she was feeling attracted to him as he was to her.  
  
Kagome frowned, it didn't appear to be good news. Both of their attention was directed skyward when a large helicopter came into view. Kagome dropped her cell phone to her side as she stared in confusion at the arrival.  
  
"Who was that?" Kurama demanded, grabbing hold of Kagome's shoulder to pull her out of her stupor. She turned towards him and blinked at him slowly.  
  
"This particular excavation is being funded by billionaire Sir Thomas Slate. He's the one paying the grants for your and my work in the field. He has sent the helicopter for us. He wants us on a special assignment." Kagome explained. The expression on her face betrayed her calm voice. This was a highly unusual request.  
  
"Shuuichi Minamino? Kagome Higurashi?" An authoritative voice demanded. The voice belonged to muscle bound man with short cropped blond hair and a deep scar running under his right eye. The two in questioned nodded. "Come with me, Sir Slate is anxious." The man offered no name.  
  
Kagome stayed rooted to the spot. "But what about this site? We've just discovered groundbreaking," the no nonsense glare of the large man caused the rest of her sentence to trail off.  
  
"Sir Slate is a busy man." The man held out his arm in open invitation for the two to climb aboard the helicopter. There was plenty of room on the bird.  
  
After securing himself in his seat, Kurama was only mildly surprised when Kagome moved from her seat across from him to beside him. She sat so close that their hips and thighs brushed against one another but neither moved to avoid the contact.  
  
Kurama looked at her and offered his most warm and reassuring smile. "It will be alright. This will be the adventure of a lifetime." He reached down to gently squeeze her knee before focusing on the blond haired man who was concealing a gun in his blazer. Kurama hoped that Kagome wouldn't notice the weapon.  
  
He started to remove his hand from her knee when she trapped it there with her own hand. She lay her palm across the back of his hand and entwined their fingers. Her eyes were focused on the gun, apparently she had seen it.  
  
He squeezed their fingers reassuringly. "Don't worry," he whispered softly in her ear, emerald eyes transfixed on the man before him. She nodded and offered a weak smile.  
  
"So where are we meeting Sir Slate?" Kurama inquired his voice cold and calculating. It was the intimidating quality he loved most about his voice.  
  
"Mr. Minamino that information is classified."  
  
"Why do you have a gun?" Kagome ventured. The armed man allowed his eyes to flicker down to the sidearm inside his blazer. It obviously wasn't concealed enough.  
  
"That is none of your concern." He offered the two a patronizing smirk. "Don't worry, I'm under strict orders to see that you two arrive alive and fully functional."  
  
Kagome slunk deep against the back of her seat to mutter, "Well that's reassuring."  
  
Kurama couldn't help but smile at her childish attitude. Frankly, he was a bit disappointed in himself. He had just been abducted more or less by a man with a gun and was he concerned? No. He was feeling giddy because some girl he had known for half an hour was holding his hand.  
  
If Hiei or Yusuke could see him now he would never hear the end of this one. 


	3. TBDW3

**TBDW**

**Chapter Three**

Shaking his head slightly, Kurama berated himself for feeling disappointed when the small hand that had grasped onto his own removed itself.  Kagome shifted away from him a bit and was practically ignoring him.  Her attention wasn't on the blond with the gun but she was staring out the window at the landscape. 

Kurama wasn't used to being ignored.  It just --- didn't happen.

Kurama observed as the human beside him wrapped her arms around herself in a warming hug, a poor effort to stop her shivering as the helicopter appeared to be heading North if the temperature reflected any clue.  Her cool sapphire eyes met his emerald ones.  "Cold?" He asked, with a hint of a smile tilting the corners of his lips.

Kagome merely nodded, before closing her eyes.  "I wonder how far up north we'll be heading," she asked quietly enough that the spirit detective could hardly hear her.  "I just seem to be getting colder and colder."  She looked down at her clothing, definitely warm weather articles.  It provided great protection in a sandstorm, but wouldn't help much in snow.  "I'm not exactly dressed for the northern climate."

"Mmm," Kurama replied uncommitted.  '**Why don't you offer to warm her up?'** the voice of Youko began to make his presence known.  Kurama closed his eyes tight, he had thought to have reigned in the suggestions of his Kitsune spirit and tried to make him conform.  If he hadn't promised to study and learn everything he could about ancient treasures as a bribe, college would have been too much of an obstacle with so many hormone driven individuals.

**'Ah you know better than that!  I have urges that can only be suppressed for so long.  You can't deny that I am a part of you Shuuichi Minamino,'** Youko replied stretching his aura to fill up the body that he shared with Minamino.  Kagome looked over and eyed him strangely during his brief rise in youki.  **'Look at her; you wouldn't even let me touch those hips when they were swaying back and forth so tantalizing.'**

_'Do you think she sensed that?'_ Kurama asked his alter ego, ignoring the last complaint and concerned with Kagome having looked over at him as his demonic aura increased.  Youko shrugged; then he wrapped his arms around their soul with the intention of causing many of Kurama's reservations to relax. 

**'Does it matter?'**   Youko asked back, golden eyes raking over the delicious treat before him.  **'I've been so very good to you Kurama.  All through undergraduate I lay dormant for the most part, except for the occasional party mind you.  I shared with you all my knowledge.'**

_'What is your point?'_ Kurama demanded, watching as Kagome scooted closer to him again in the seat from the corner of his eye while he kept his gaze fixed on the blond man who looked like a WWF reject sitting across from them.  ****

**'My point is that I deserve a little fun.  What do you say to having some fun with this little damsel?  She's quite lovely and obviously intelligent. You know I love a good mystery.'**  That was as close to begging that Youko ever got.  He continued to caress their soul, hoping to gain more influence by lowering his human half's stone facade.   **'She's a puzzle I'd like to examine inside and out.'**  Youko licked his lips in anticipation as he allowed visions of his intentions to flash through his avatar's mind.

Kurama tried diligently to ignore the tempting images.  _'She's my partner.  I can't get involved with someone I have to spend so much time with.  I don't want to deal with another obsessive girl.'_ Kurama countered, not allowing Youko to persuade him so easily.  The memories of the obsessive fan club from his high school were too fresh to be forgotten.

Youko retracted his hands and stepped as far away as he could in his limited space.  He lifted a hand to his chin and looked contemplative.  **'Since she is your partner it makes perfect sense that you should become involved with her.  Just think; if she was your lover then you wouldn't have to worry about her betraying you.'**

Kurama took a deep breath; he needed to keep his wits when dealing with Youko.  _'How do you figure that?  Was Kuronue YOUR lover?  Did he betray you?.'_

Youko shrugged arrogantly as he hugged their soul once more.  **'Kuronoue wasn't my lover, he was my best friend.  You don't betray your best friend.  But in answer to your former question, it's easy; no one has ever betrayed this kitsune after I took them for a lover.  Who would want to lose such a great deal such as me?'  **He appraised Kagome once more.  **'You've never let me unleash the full extent of my powers.  I think it's only fair that you allow me this one carnal pleasure.  You only let me out when I have to kill some sort of monster threatening mankind.'**

_'You act as if my lifestyle is murder.'_

**'It's quite wicked torture.  I haven't had a lover in the past 23 years!  Ever since I've met you I've been denied.'**   Youko's voice reflected his frustration and to make sure his point was stretched to it's full potential he made sure that Kurama could feel his pain.

"Hmmm," Kurama groaned through his clenched teeth as he could feel his blood rush to a certain anatomical feature some inches below his belt.  Kagome looked at him concerned as one of her soft, cool hands rested upon his forearm.

"Are you okay?"

Youko began snickering and used Kurama's distraction of keeping his hormones in check to make his move.  He melded his arm with Kurama's and placed it easily over Kagome's shoulder, drawing her closer to his warmth.  "I'm fine, but you're still shivering." He cooed seductively.

Kagome's face grew a faint pink in her embarrassment from her alluring partner but she didn't throw the arm off from around her and instead snuggled a bit closer to the offered warmth.  Her eyes focused on the man across from them.  "Um….sir, how much further are we traveling?"

The man watched them dispassionately and didn't answer.

The two sat silently in the company of the unfriendly man.  **'This trip is so boring.  Let me kiss her.  Just once and I'll leave you alone for the rest of the day.'** Youko offered as he licked a fanged tooth in anticipation.

_'You can't just kiss a total stranger.  It's just not done.  Besides, what about diseases?'_ Kurama tried to be logical, completely satisfied to have his arm around Kagome, even though it wasn't his idea.  He wasn't about to complain.

**'First off, you don't get sick because I don't get sick.  Secondly, look at her.  Does she look like she's disease ridden?  I don't think so.  And lastly,'** Youko paused, a disappointed growl coming to his throat.  **'Damn you Kurama now we're about to land.'**

"Can you tell us where we are now?" Kurama asked the silent, armed man, ignoring how Youko was now cursing inside of his mind.

"Svalbard," the brute replied dispassionately once the helicopter landed on the launch pad.  He stepped out of the chopper and ushered with his gun for the pair of archeologists to follow.

"Norway?" Kagome asked confused.  The man simply looked at her.

Kurama moved his hand to the small of Kagome's back; he couldn't resist the simple gesture.  Not with Youko's constant banter urging him to do more.  He could at least sooth the Kitsune with some small compromises without endangering his working relationship with his new partner.

The island, north of the Norwegian mainland was quite cold.  It was one of the few land masses before the polar icecap.  It wasn't snowing, but the ground was covered in a white icy sheet.  The sun was still low in the East so it was still early morning. 

"Why would Sir Thomas Slate be here?" Kagome asked Kurama quietly.

He was wondering that himself.  "I'm sure it will be explained soon enough, Kagome."  Kurama was trying to search the landscape for any sort of unusual activity.  But, seeing as he had never been there before and there was little, if any vegetation, he wasn't able to sense very much.  There did seem to be some sort of spiritual energy radiating from Kagome, but he would investigate that at his leisure during their acquaintance.  The energy seemed to disappear a moment after he felt it.

"There," the blond pointed towards a large white, domed tent about twenty yards away.  After the two archeologists cast one another a wary look they went in the direction of the tent.

A very disheveled British Lord emerged from the tent.  His coppery hair and beard were streaked with silver from middle age and worry lines creased his forehead.  "Thank God you're here Higurashi."  He smiled at the young woman before turning to Kurama.  "You must be Minamino."  He extended his hand towards the younger man.

Kurama reluctantly moved his hand away from Kagome's back, where Youko had some how influenced it to creep lower, but thankfully it was still well above the danger zone.  He took Sir Slate's hand in a firm grip.  "It's an honor sir."

"Can you explain what is going on Sir Thomas?" Kagome interjected.  She had met the multi-billionaire twice before.  He was eccentric, but not quite this random in his demands.  What could possibly be more important that a find like the Trojan Horse!?

"Step inside," Sir Slate urged them to follow him inside the white tent.

"Why are we here of all places?" Kagome inquired as soon as the tent flap was shut behind them.

Sir Slate ran his hands across his face, obviously tired.  "It wasn't my choice to meet here.  I received this ransom note early this morning.  It led me here, to this tent.  And here I discovered the severity of the threat."

Kurama interrupted, "Excuse me.  You said a ransom note and a threat.  What exactly happened?  How does this concern Kagome and me?"

"My son and daughter have been kidnapped.  I know the man that did it.  I couldn't contact the authorities because he would have no qualms about killing them and it ruins the challenge.  He and I used to be good friends until we had a falling out." Sir Slate began to explain.

"Some falling out," Kagome muttered.  Youko snickered inside Kurama's head.  **'I like her fire!  Let me make her fire blaze!  Come on Kurama, forget this old man.  This damn island is cold.  It's the perfect excuse to warm her up.'**

Kurama ignored Youko and Sir Slate continued in the ensuing silence.  "Either I fork over 5 billion American dollars and hope that he hasn't harmed my children, or I can solve the clues he left."

"Clues?" Kagome asked confused.  She flashed Kurama a look as if to say 'Is this for real?' 

"He and I were both the best at solving mysteries.  So, since he recently escaped the maximum security prison for some of Britain's most famous criminal masterminds he decided to capitalize on our association.  For 5 billion dollars I can have my children back unharmed.  Or, I have week to solve the ultimate 'Treasure-Hunt' and find them myself or with the help of a few others, but not alerting the authorities."  Sir Slate explained.  He looked expectantly at the two graduate students before him.

"You want us to go on a scavenger hunt, more-or-less and locate your children?" Kurama clarified.

Sir Slate nodded.  "Exactly my boy, that's exactly what I want.  I may be wealthy, but five billion is an astronomical amount and my pockets are only so deep.  If I can have them found by the two brightest mystery solvers within the week I have saved a great deal."

"And your first clue led you to this island?" Kagome asked.

Sir Slate nodded and handed Kurama a slip of parchment.  "This is the next hint.  I have acquired a pilot and an advanced aircraft.  It is capable of flying from London to New York in approximately one hour.

Kurama opened the parchment and held it open in front of himself as Kagome leaned over to read it with him, her chest lightly brushed against his arm and it took a great deal of control to ignore the sensation and concentrate on the parchment.  "I am the fall that marked the end of the Middle Ages."

"Sounds like something off Jeopardy," Kagome remarked as she scoured her memory in search of the answer.

Kurama offered a weak smile at the joke, trying to think of some great power that was sacked in the mid 1400s. 

Kagome had a grin spread across her face. "And I thought we wouldn't be going back to Turkey anytime soon.  What is the Byzantine Empire?"

Kurama looked down at the girl, obviously impressed.  "The fall of Constantinople, brilliant!" 

Kagome poked him in the ribs.  "You aren't the only one to graduate with high honors."

**'Look, she can't keep her hands off me.  Do something about that!'**  Youko was quick to point out to Kurama.  Kurama grabbed her wrist and gently pulled her poking appendage away.  He held firmly to her small wrist as he turned to Sir Slate.  "She's correct.  Where is our aircraft?"

A small vibration could be felt within the ground and Sir Slate smiled.  "That should be him now.  Come, let me introduce you to him.  Also, he has about one-million dollars at his disposal for you to use on this little quest.  I'm confident in your abilities.  And you will be richly rewarded for your services."

###################

Kagome kept sneaking glances at her handsome partner, Kurama.  Why he would go by a name like that she was curious.  Plus, his aloof and yet obviously intelligent personality reminded her a great deal of Sesshoumaru.  But then, occasionally she thought she caught a glint of some lustful glimmer like Miroku's in his emerald eyes as they would appear to flash golden. 

She tried to clear her head of such thoughts.  She hadn't thought about the Feudal Era in a while.  Ever since the last battle with Naraku and she had been sent back here without a means of returning.  She missed her friends terribly and had no clue what had happened to them.  She could only hope that they found happiness in her absence.

A sad sigh escaped her lips as her eyes darkened in her inner thoughts.  "Kagome?" The soothing tenor of her mysterious partner broke into her thoughts.  She looked to her side and noticed concerned emerald orbs shining down on her. 

"God you're sexy," Kagome said to herself.  Her hand flew up to her mouth, a crimson blush staining her cheeks as she looked away.  "Oh, I did not just say that out loud."

Kurama had begun to laugh at her quietly and he rested his hand lightly on the back of her neck, stroking the area briefly with his thumb causing her to turn back towards him, his emerald eyes flecked with gold.  "Apparently you did say it out loud."  He smiled sincerely at her.  "Don't worry, I know I am."  He couldn't prevent Youko's arrogance from commenting.

"Kurama!  What the hell are you doing here?" A gruff voice shouted out, gaining the couple's attention.  A young man around their same age with dark hair stood outside a midnight black aircraft that looked other-worldly.

Kagome almost shouted in glee when the pilot distracted her from further embarrassment from her gorgeous, now obviously arrogant, partner.  "You know each other?" Kagome asked, trying to reclaim her dignity.

The young man walked past Kurama and offered his hand to Kagome.  "Yusuke Yurameshi.  And you are?" He greeted, dark chocolate orbs promising mischief and adventure all rolled in one dangerous combination.

Kagome fitted her small hand into his large one and smiled sweetly.  "Kagome Higurashi.  You are our pilot, I presume?"

A self-assured smirk was the reply.  "I'm the best there is."  He looked over at Kurama.  "Well I certainly didn't expect to see you here of all places."

"Small world," Kurama replied.  **'He's still holding her hand.  Quickly remove it or I will do it myself with my Rose Whip.  Only, I don't care if it is recoverable.  He's touching my woman!  She called me sexy; don't let that twerp taint her with his stupidity.  Curse Keiko for dumping him and leaving him one horny bastard.'**

Kagome seemed to realize Yusuke hadn't released her hand and pulled it away.  "You two know each other?" She asked looking from one man to the next.  Emerald and chocolate clashed like titans.

"We used to work together back in high school," Kurama answered looking down at Kagome and placing his hand back on the small of her back.  "Come, we don't have time to lose."

Yusuke watched as the two walked off without him and quickly made his way to the pilot's seat.  He looked at his passengers.  "I suggest you strap down tight, this baby goes at incredible speeds."

"Of course," Kurama replied as he helped Kagome strap in tight. 

"You don't have to do that," Kagome assured him trying to slap away his hands from her safety belt.  Kurama ignored her and made sure it was secure before grinning at her confidently in a tooth-paste worthy commercial fashion.

"No, I didn't have to, but I thought you'd enjoy having my sexy self helping you."  He teased before settling back in his seat and fastening himself in.  He was going to have to meditate a great deal during this flight.  Youko's persistence was too intense for him to ignore and the whole process of flirting was foreign to Kurama.  He would have to focus so he could be sharp.

"You're not that great," Kagome muttered under her breath.  A flash of hurt swept through emerald pools.  She then smiled up at him.  "I think we'll get along great.  I'm proud to put my mind together with yours."

"Mmm," Kurama answered with a thoughtful expression, ignoring comments that Youko made about other things he'd like to combine with her. 

**TBC **


	4. TBDW4

**_Disclaimer: I own neither YYH, IY, or IaSW_**

**Treasure Buried Deep Within: Chapter IV**

The aerospace adventure was gravity defying as several G-forces were hurtled at the inhabitants of the state of the art flying contraption. From the cock-pit, the occasional 'Ye-haws' could be heard from Yusuke causing both Kurama and Kagome to cast worried glances towards the front of their plane.

"Do you think he really knows what he's doing?" Kagome asked when the plane took a sudden dip and then seemed to roll on its side in a steep embankment.

Kurama tried to smile reassuringly at her. **'Tell her the truth, that fool is going to get us all killed!' **Youko growled. _'I'm sure he knows what he's doing, for the most part,'_ Kurama argued.

"I wonder how long it will take us to get to Istanbul," Kagome mused as she tried to look out the window only to see a brightly colored blur that caused her to become dizzy and close her eyes.

Kurama unbuckled his safety belt and moved to the unoccupied seat next to the disoriented woman. In spite of Youko's protests of not needing a seatbelt because of his invincibility, Kurama strapped himself in. Then he reached his cool fingers to lightly ballot Kagome's closed eye lids.

"What are you doing?" Kagome asked, keeping her eyes shut as she felt the unexpected touch of Kurama's gentle fingertips over the sensitive area.

"You seem to have an ache behind your eyes, this is an ancient Oriental technique to relieve such tensions," he answered matter-of-factly. Youko was rolling his eyes at his human self and his lame attempts of flirtation. **'Please tell me you're at least going to try something a little more…..daring?'**

"You were asking about Istanbul," Kurama prompted, ignoring his Kitsune spirit's taunting mannerisms.

"Yeah," Kagome replied as she reached up her hand to grasp Kurama's wrist to pull his fingers away from her eyes so that she could look at him. "So the clue led us to believe it was a reference to the fall of Constantinople in 1453. That's when the Turks overthrew the Byzantine Empire."

Kurama read her train of thoughts. "We're on a limited time schedule and Istanbul is a large city," he spoke aloud her concern.

"Exactly," Kagome agreed. "My guess would be the location where the Ottoman forces killed the king, Constantine."

Kurama left his hand in Kagome's weak grasp. She obviously forgot she still held it loosely. "I would agree that his death would be what marked the fall of his empire and hence started the beginning of the Renaissance. Perhaps once we get there some sort of curator will be able to guide us to that location."

"Hey you two, better buckle up, I'm taking this baby down and the landing ain't gonna be pretty," Yusuke called over the intercom at the precise moment that the plane took a severe dip towards the earth at an 80 degree angle.

The swift movement knocked Kagome out of her thoughtful gaze and she suddenly released Kurama's wrist and gave him a sheepish grin before she clutched each side of her seat in a death grip.

**'Look at her knuckles! They're all white. You should do something to ease her worries. At least hold her hand you spineless idiot!'** Youko screamed in frustration inside Kurama's head.

_'I'll do things on my own time! Don't rush me you horny fox!'_ Kurama argued annoyed that the fox wouldn't let him concentrate on solving the first riddle more thoroughly.

**'There's nothing more to figure out right now anyway. That clue was too vague to be more precise.'** Youko pointed out. **'Now, if you don't at least hold her hand right now then I'll……**' He paused thinking up a suitable threat. He grinned a wicked fanged tooth grin that caused his avatar to shudder. **'It's ****a world of laughter. A world of tears. It's a world of hopes. And a world of fears….'**

"Stop it I'll do it!" Kurama cried outloud as he panicked when the song that haunted his childhood came back to drive him insane.

"Is something wrong?" Kagome asked concerned. Kurama took a deep breath and tried to ignore the humming of **It's a small world** that was going on in the back ground of his mind. He smoothly moved his hand to cover her own in a comforting gesture and squeezed lightly, leaving it there.

"Nothing's wrong, I was just thinking aloud." He smiled charmingly at her and earned an unsure smile from Kagome who looked at his hand in question and then redirected her gaze to her lap as she closed her eyes and appeared to be meditating.

_'Great now she thinks I'm psychotic,' _Kurama complained to his ever present side-kick.** 'If you ever refer to me as your side-kick again I swear you'll regret it avatar. Besides I think she's meditating because of this desent. I swear that friend of yours can't fly. Maybe you should meditate too.'**

_'Why would I need to do that? I'm perfectly calm.'_ Youko growled at the human's smart response. **'Because if you don't I may just puke from this motion sickness and that means that you won't make a very good impression on the woman that has piqued both of our interests and happens to be our research partner.'**

After catering to the requests of an airsick Kitsune, Kurama was surprised when he could hear Kagome's sweet voice singing softly a familiar, highly annoying tune. He wanted to tell her to stop, but instead listened half-way fascinated how she was able to transform the annoying song into something sweet and poetic.

"There is just one moon and one golden sun. And a smile means friendship to everyone. Though the mountains divide and the oceans are wide, it's a small world after all." After that verse Kagome resorted to humming the tune which was probably worst than singing lyrics. It was like one of those wretched commercial jingles that sticks in one's head for hours at a time.

"Why in the world are you singing that dreadful song?" Kurama finally asked as he removed his hand from his research partner's slightly disgusted that she should sing such a thing.

Kagome laughed self-consciously. "When I'm nervous I tend to sing to myself, and for some reason that song got stuck in my head." She laughed again.

Youko could be laughing loudly inside of Kurama's head. _'You two would be perfect together,'_ Kurama told the Kitsune in a sneer of disgust. **'Really? Then shove aside and I'll take over the rest of the mission and you can sing annoying songs for attention.'**

_'Nevermind,'_ Kurama quickly changed his mind as the aircraft straightened itself into a 180 degree angle and began to skid to a halt on the runway.

**oooooOOOOOoooooOOOOOooooo**

"Are you sure this is the place?" Yusuke asked as he scratched his head and turned in a full circle to get the full effect. Presently the trio could be found walking the slums of Istanbul. It was a truly beautiful city with architectural wonders as far as the eye could see. So the question remained, why were they in the slums?

"Yes," Kurama answered as calmly as he could. It didn't take long to run into a curator at the national museum and he seemed to know what he was talking about. He even gave them a map to use and circles in a bright red circle the location where the king of so long ago supposedly was killed.

"Let me see that," Yusuke pulled the map out of Kurama's hands while Kagome stifled a giggle. Kurama turned to her with a raised auburn brow and she winked at him.

**'Yeah, she definitely wants us. Screw Yusuke and this mission. We don't really give a rat's ass about that Sir Slate's grand kids. Let's just find a hotel room, or heck even a nice spot in the woods, and have some fun with our research partner.' **Youko was getting rather anxious walking around in the heat of the city and having to listen to Yusuke making idiotic comments. And all the flirtatious looks from Kagome were driving him absolutely bonkers!

_'Calm yourself Youko. We don't have time for this. Those children are in danger and you and I must do what we can to save them. Besides I've got two good justifications for doing this,'_ he continued when Youko was about to interject. _'One Sir Slate pays our salaries and two what's sexier than a man who risks his life to save the lives of innocent children?'_

**'Alright fine, you have some good points,'** Youko conceded.

"Hey, this map is in some funny language! I can't even read it!" Yusuke complained as he flipped the map upside down, hoping to make his task better. Kagome rolled her eyes as Kurama clinched his fists tightly at his side.

"Look that's the statue you described Kurama!" Kagome pointed towards a statue that seemed to be hidden in the corner near a back alley entrance into an old cathedral. It was a statue of Constantine himself from the fifteenth century.

Kagome rushed to the statue and Kurama was hot on her heels. He began to run his hands over the base of the statue where the curator had suggested there might be a secret compartment. Bingo! A little pressure added to the Achilles tendon, ironic since they were just studying the location of the battle of Troy, and a small drawer shot out.

Kurama pulled out a small scroll that was rolled up inside. The parchment was fresh. He looked up towards Kagome, green eyes sparking with excitement. "We're pretty good at this treasure hunting," Kagome commented.

The red haired man looked down at the scroll and carefully unrolled it. "Technically to be treasure hunters we are to seek treasure, what we are doing is playing a complex around the world version of hide-and-seek." He scrunched his forehead at the foreign writing and groaned. **'What the hell kind of script is that?'** Youko demanded.

"I'm afraid I can't speak this language. It reminds me of Latin which leads me to believe it may be Spanish," Kurama informed those around him.

"Oh, let me try!" Yusuke offered as he shoved the map at Kurama while taking the scroll out of his fingers none-too-carefully.

"Well, can you read it?" Kagome prodded. Yusuke shook his head and handed the scroll to her. "Then why did you ask to try if you can't read Spanish?"

"Oh well I eat Mexican food all the time, so I figured with my knowledge in that area I could figure it out," Yusuke admitted sheepishly.

Kagome cast Kurama another pleading look before directing her attention to the words before her. "It speaks about a royal union between the two largest kingdoms of their land. Many questions were asked and the answers were not forth coming. One was sent West while a conquest was made. I speak of this conquest. At the base of a mighty mountain stands a garden renown."

"So, what is that supposed to mean?" Yusuke interjected before either of the more educated individuals could think aloud.

"Yusuke," Kurama spoke politely. "Perhaps it would be best if next time you wait in the air craft." Yusuke frowned but didn't comment as he stuck his hands in his front pockets and tried to think over the clue.

"Questions make me think of an inquisition," Kagome started.

"The Spanish Inquisition!" Kurama surmised. "Excellent thinking, the kingdoms under Ferdinand and Isabella were joined in their marriage. They sent Columbus West and in that same year of 1492 they conquered Granada!"

"How did you figure all that out from the word inquisition?" Yusuke asked angered at his feelings of inadequacy. He might not be a brainiac but he wasn't stupid!

Kurama patted his old friend on the shoulder sympathetically. "It has to do with my photographic memory and quick wit intelligence."

Kagome remained pondering the riddle. "Alright, so then we should go to Granada. Where in Granada do you suppose?"

"The base of a mountain, do you happen to know what the biggest mountain range is in Spain?" Kurama asked trying to shuffle through his mind countless maps.

"The Sierra Nevada mountain range," Yusuke supplied. Both Kurama and Kagome looked at him in surprise. He shrugged. "I'm not totally useless you know."

Kagome smiled sweetly at him. "That was very useful Yusuke." He found his cheeks blushing slightly.

**'Damn him, did you see that?'** Youko cried in agitation. He was struggling at his bonds within Kurama's soul in desire to rip Yusuke a new hole. **'He was flirting with my woman!'**

Kurama cleared his throat, effectively gaining his friends attention and silencing Youko at the same time. "There is a garden at the palace of Generalife. It is quite famous actually."

"Famous for a guy obsessed with plants anyway," Yusuke grumbled.

"So shall we be off then?" Kagome suggested as she pushed the secret drawer back inside the foot of the statue. She stood straight and looked at both her companions expectantly.

"Be off? But we just got here!" Yusuke cried with a frantic look at his watch. "We haven't even been here for two hours!"

"We are on a limited schedule, I hope you are up to flying us to Spain or else perhaps we should tell Sir Slate we will require a more experienced pilot." Kurama antagonized with successful results.

"Shut up, I'll get you to that damn peninsula," Yusuke grumbled as he turned around to lead the way out of the alley.

Kurama offered his arm to Kagome and she took it easily. "Shall we be off to the next stop of our grand adventure?"

"Indeed, this is almost too easy don't you think Shuuichi, I mean, Kurama?" Kagome questioned as they followed behind Yusuke out of the dark alley.

"Certainly not, it just means we're highly intelligent." He countered reassuringly as he cast her his most charming smile. Kagome raised a brow but didn't question further.

**'Or it could be that the clues will progressively get more difficult. If this truly is a game then that would be the most logical conclusion. Enjoy the ease of your discoveries now for I fear that soon you will be facing a great deal more obstacles.'** Youko warned his human half.

**_A/N: Sorry for the delay, this story is going to be harder to write than I anticipated. So, I've got my fingers crossed that I can pull it off._**


	5. TBDW5

**Treasure Buried Deep Within: Chapter V**

The fire and ice apparition glared at the back of the cerulean blue head sitting in front of him in the cockpit of the jet they were traveling in. As if feeling the eyes boring a hole in the back of her head, Botan risked a glance over her shoulder only to meet a pair of angry crimson eyes.

"It's not my fault, you know," Botan defended. "This mission wasn't my idea but you can at least try to make the best of it. It's been a long time since we've been given any assignments involving this sort of travel." She offered, trying to sound upbeat about the situation.

'If you think that pretending to be human and using their means of travel is supposed to be fun, then you are sadly mistaken.' Hiei answered mentally as his glare never lessened. "Hn," was his only verbal response.

"Aren't you even a little anxious to see Kurama?" Botan asked tentatively. "It has been years since you last saw one another."

"Oh you mean when you confessed that you were in love with him or was it the time that he turned in his badge because serving penance was beneath someone of his status?" Hiei answered back bitterly, the venom in his tone causing shivers to run up the blue haired female's spine.

"Hiei, that was a long time ago," Botan began quietly, trying to ignore the pain she always felt at being reminded of that rejection on the part of the Kitsune. She had fallen for him, and fallen for him hard right before he quit the Spirit Detectives. No one had any idea that he was planning on leaving the force without so much as a goodbye.

"Not long enough, apparently," Hiei growled as he crossed his arms over his chest and turned his attention to the clouds rushing past the cockpit. He was reluctant to admit that he did rather enjoy flying. However, he was not happy to be stuck on this mission with no one but the happy-go-lucky blue haired girl in his company.

He was angry at Kurama for what he saw as a betrayal.

But what really pissed Hiei off was the attraction he felt to the blue haired woman before him. To think that Kurama had rejected her love without so much as a passing thought while Hiei struggled to keep his feelings secret. If Botan was to discover that he had fallen for her and rejected him, after Kurama had rejected her, Hiei doubted if he would have the reserved control to keep the black dragon living within himself tame. Death and destruction would surely ensue.

"There's something else that's bothering you," Botan observed quietly.

"I suppose that our runt of a boss losing in a gamble with some arrogant Kitsune probably hasn't helped my mood," Hiei agreed.

Botan sighed at the memory. "Sometimes Koenma makes mistakes," that comment was met with a snort from her companion. "But he's still our leader and a good one at that. This Kitsune was rather clever; you know how intelligent they are."

Hiei was watching her closely. "You're thinking about Kurama, aren't you?" He accused angrily.

"So what if I am?" Botan yelled back, losing her temper. "I've changed since he last saw me. Maybe now he'll realize what he passed up and learn to regret his choice."

"It's not going to work Botan," Hiei told her quietly, without a trace of compassion though he felt an overwhelming urge to pull her into his arms and sooth away the pain of rejection she still felt at Kurama's rebuttal of her affections.

Botan's back went stiff at his words. "Maybe not," she agreed sternly. "But that does not mean that I shall allow some human to steal his heart," she vowed.

'Obviously she doesn't care for this mission any more than I do,' Hiei pondered. He was still furious that Koenma had agreed to the bet set forth by that demon. How a demon entered the Spirit World without permission was still beyond him! Then for Koenma to lose in the poker game and allow the demon access to any two employees for the next week was too much.

"Damn pacifier sucking passivist," Hiei muttered crossly earning a giggle from Botan. "What?"

Botan looked over her shoulder at him. "It's just good to know that some things never change."

'Oh things change, but you are too blind to see what is right before you. You spend all your time moping about a lost love that was never yours.' Hiei had no qualms about certain aspects of their unorthodox mission. Impeding Kurama's ability to solve the riddles would be fun. His eye twitched as he pictured the frustration of Youko at having found himself on the losing end of an intellectual challenge.

He looked once more at Botan, the blood rushing south at seeing her face bright with anger. He'd love to make her look that passionate doing something a little more fun than being jealous of the idea of a woman with Kurama, not herself. If he could somehow help in a relationship forming between the priestess and his former best friend it could only benefit him. Maybe then, Botan would open her eyes and move on.

"I wish I was telepathic so I could see exactly what sorts of gears are turning in that head of yours," Botan interrupted his thoughts, piercing him with her brilliant eyes.

"Hn," Hiei answered as he leaned back and closed his eyes. "You really don't want to know." He assured in a deep drawl meant to seduce, he grew satisfied at the result when he snuck a peak and saw a suspicious blush on her cheeks.

Botan cleared her throat, "I wonder how Yusuke is."

Hiei opened his eyes and cocked his brow. "I hear he's available. You going to see if you can seduce him too?" He regretted the words the moment they rolled off his tongue, but there was nothing he could do about it now. He'd be damned if he apologized!

Botan's lips thinned to form a frown. "At least I care about others," she retorted quietly.

Hiei closed his eyes again and tried to relax. 'So she thinks I have no heart does she? If she really could read my mind she certainly would be in for a surprise.' It was funny how the heart he did not have gave a painful lurch in his chest.

**oooooOOOOOooooo**

Yusuke landed the plane quickly as close to the garden areas at the base of the largest mountain in the range without raising suspicions amongst the locals. "Hey Kurama, do you ever miss the good old days where we could just teleport to wherever." He remarked casually, thinking nothing of the mixed company they were in.

A sharp look from the emerald eyes of his companion quickly reminded him of that fact. "Kurama, come here!" Kagome called from several feet away, thankfully out of hearing distance of Yusuke's loose comments.

'**Next time let me kill him, we don't need him anyway. He's just dead weight,'** Youko suggested as he stretched within his avatar's body, feeling the energy rushing into him from being in the mere presence of so much vegetation. _'We can not kill off all our friends,'_ Kurama explained calmly.

'**You choose your friends too casually.'** Youko took a deep breath. **'The air here is so clear. It is as if we stepped back half a millennium in to the non-polluted land of Japan.'**

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Kagome asked as she gestured to the richly landscaped gardens. Kurama felt joy at being surrounded by so much vegetation. He found it hard to contain the urge to roll around in the lush green hills like a rambunctious child.

"Yes it is," Kurama agreed as he led the way towards a section of the garden well-known for the statues and masonry work.

"So you think it's engraved at the base of one of those statue things?" Yusuke asked, as he paused the catch his breath with his hands upon his thighs breathing in and out. He nodded his head in the direction of the army of statues standing sentinel over the area.

Kurama didn't answer his emerald eyes narrowed in suspicion, his youkai senses began to pick up on a signature he hadn't felt in years. He noticed that Kagome had an odd look upon her face and was looking towards the location where the signature seemed to be originating.

A hand fell upon Kurama's shoulder that belonged to Yusuke. "Do you feel that?" He asked quietly, trying to speak below Kagome's hearing. It didn't seem to make a difference because the small young woman suddenly launched herself towards the two males in her company, sending them all tumbling to the ground behind a row of shrubbery.

Both of Kagome's hands were occupied by covering the mouths of the two men. She could feel Yusuke struggling against her strong grip and mumbled words spilling against her flesh. But after spending years in Inuyasha's company she was quite adept at restraining loud mouthed men. Having a rosary certainly made the process more fun. Kurama on the other hand seemed to accept her hand covering his mouth. Actually, he hardly seemed to have noticed that she had knocked them to the ground.

His attention was directed towards the two familiar beings that had just entered the scene. He felt a prod against his mental barrier, only one individual had the ability and the audacity to try and force his entrance.

Kagome was watching Kurama carefully and allowed her hand to slide away from him, but simply placed her suddenly free hand over the other one that covered Yusuke's mouth to prevent his loud mouth from attracting attention. "You know them," Kagome stated, didn't question.

"Yes," Kurama answered as he could see a very distinct head of blue hair. The woman in pink wore her hair in a ponytail that swung back and forth with her movement. There was a flash of red and black that entered his vision before vanishing again. Only Hiei could move that fast to avoid detection to such an extent.

Kurama glanced over towards Yusuke and pried Kagome's hands away, holding them in his own without thinking by the wrists. "What are they doing here?" He questioned the stunned pilot.

"I don't know. I haven't seen them in a long time. I didn't even know they took cases anymore. Do you think that maybe they are supposed to help us?" Yusuke asked, trying to make sense of the situation.

"I sense something dark about their intentions," Kagome informed them. She pulled her hands out of Kurama's absent grip. "They are not here to aid us."

A movement faster than the eye could see brought the black and red blur to stand before the trio. Crimson eyes frowned down as the wind blew the spiky dark hair. Hiei began to pull out his sword. "I can not allow you to go any further," he informed them in a monotone voice.

"I don't think so," Kurama disagreed as he willed the bushes to come alive and attack the fire-ice demon. Hiei growled as he jumped back away from the onslaught. Kurama stood to his full height, towering over the shorter demon. His long red hair flew behind him in his movement and he could feel the nails of his fingers extend slightly as did his canines as he could feel the Kitsune spirit within him increasing control to enhance his power.

Kagome and Yusuke crawled away from the fight, only to run into the blue haired woman who wore a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Long time no see, Yusuke," Botan greeted, within her hands she held a baseball bat that didn't look like it was about to be used in a friendly game any time soon.

"Botan, what are you doing here?" Yusuke asked confusion evident in his speech. Behind the quarter-demon, Kagome lingered, her hands resting lightly upon his shoulders as she divided up her attention between the blue haired woman and the fight between Kurama and the speed demon.

"I'm afraid we can not allow you to continue this little quest," Botan answered, her eyes had a malicious light in them as they focused on the dark haired woman that was presently hiding behind Yusuke.

Kagome caught the look, but decided to keep up the act. She needed to find the next clue and they needed to leave pronto. She pulled gently down on Yusuke's shoulders to draw his ear to her mouth. "Keep her busy, I'll get the clue and then we can get out of here." Yusuke nodded his assent and Kagome took off towards a stone bench that she felt drawn towards.

She looked over her shoulder during her mad dash to see Yusuke occupying the blue haired woman and Kurama flash her a quick look of concern before focusing on his opponent. Kagome knew for a fact that all four beings in her presence all contained a great deal of spiritual energy; it was pale in comparison to the amount she possessed, but still impressive.

During their last clue she thought she detected a faint trail of spiritual energy that led to the statue with the riddle. She now realized that it was not merely a thought, but factual. This time that faint spiritual trail led her towards a stone bench on the far side of the garden. Under the bench was an envelope.

For a moment she debated whether or not to open it and read the clue in case it was stolen or to risk making a run for it and hope for the best. She decided to open it and quickly she scanned the message and put it to memory. A look back towards the direction of all the activity caused her heart to race.

Kurama's legs were encased in an icy prison and the shorter demon from before was stalking towards her at an alarming rate. Kagome pulled the lighter out of her pocket that she kept with her for emergencies ever since a particularly windy season where fires were hard to light in the Feudal Era during her shard hunting adventures.

The envelope and the paper went up in flames and she stood up defiantly as the dark haired demon stood before her with his sword drawn. "Kagome!" Kurama called out; frustrated that Hiei had trapped him in such a simple encasement.

Kagome didn't even look towards the voice of her partner. She trusted that Yusuke was still able to keep the blue haired woman occupied. She quickly became dismayed though. "Look out!" Yusuke cried out in warning.

Kagome raised her hands and created a spiritual barrier at the last moment, stopping both the spiritual beings a mere foot from her. Hiei glowered at her. "Human, you will not get away," he bit out annoyed as he concentrated to destroy the barrier keeping him from his duties.

Calmly, Kagome walked past them both towards Kurama and Yusuke. Yusuke was trying to chip away the ice around Kurama's legs. Both spirit detectives watched Hiei and Botan curiously as they were held back by an unseen spiritual barrier. "How are you doing that?" Yusuke asked.

Kagome ignored the question as she knelt beside him and focused on creating enough heat with her spiritual powers that she could melt the ice. "You're a priestess," Kurama observed as he watched her careful concentration. He thought he felt an extra sense of purity within her.

"Yes," Kagome agreed the moment Kurama was free. He reached down and hauled her up to stand in front of him. One last glance towards Hiei and Botan told him that her barrier wouldn't hold much longer.

"I don't know what this is about," Kurama started, talking to his former comrades. "But we do not have time to deal with whatever mischief Koenma has brought you here for." He surveyed Kagome up and down briefly making sure she was not wounded then he tossed her light frame over his shoulder. "We must go," he informed Yusuke who didn't hesitate.

At the top speed the two demons could travel they hurried back to the jet. Surprisingly, Kagome didn't protest, it was as if she was accustomed to being carried over a male's shoulder and carried away at breakneck speeds.

"You have a lot of explaining to do," Kurama informed the woman whose slight weight was resting upon his shoulder. Kagome turned to look at him with a raised brow. "Perhaps I do as well," Kurama conceded.

"For real, like why aren't you screaming for him tossing you over his shoulder like a cave woman?" Yusuke asked as he ran alongside the Kitsune. His face was red under the exertion but he showed no signs of slowing down.

"You spend enough time around possessive wolf-demons that claim you as their woman, you get used to this sort of treatment," Kagome answered, choosing to be honest and finding satisfaction in the confused expressions her answer gave way to.

Kurama tried to ignore the feelings of jealousy he felt at the idea of a wolf man-handing his partner. The plane came into sight so he pushed aside such emotions to focus on important things, one being how she managed to associate with wolf-demons.

"The barrier probably dissolved by now," Kagome informed them. "Oh, and I memorized the riddle. Mark the flight course for South America."

**oooooOOOOOooooo**

Hiei clinched his fists in annoyance as he and Botan watched the human priestess and his two former teammates take off into the great unknown. He was annoyed that they were only to stall the treasure hunters.

"This is pointless," Hiei ground out between clinched teeth.

Botan sighed, still upset at seeing a woman working so closely with Kurama after she had been denied that opportunity. "Let's go back to the Spirit World, we'll have Koenma track them down and tell us where to head them off next."

"You're forgetting something Lady Death," Hiei interrupted her bouncy stride back towards their aircraft. Botan paused in her steps and turned to face him. "Koenma isn't our boss on this assignment."

"And we aren't allowed to use portals," Botan finished.

Hiei's eyes narrowed at the woman. He marched towards her and grabbed hold of her elbow roughly to drag her towards their craft at a brisk pace that only a demon could pull off. "I can find them soon enough, just follow in the direction we saw them take off." He would trace the mental signatures of his former teammates.

Besides, a sinister smirk curled his lips, it was rather fun fighting Kurama after all the pain he went through at being abandoned by the one he had considered his closest friend. Hiei was always up for a challenge.

**TBC**


	6. TBDW6

**Treasure Buried Deep Within: Chapter 6**

Kurama held a handkerchief to his nose, blocking out the pollution that was clogging the air. The memories of the garden from earlier that day were dim in his mind now that he was submerged in so much smog and toxic fumes.

"It's so hot I can feel my brain frying inside my skull," Yusuke complained as he wiped the back of his shirtsleeve to his forehead. The action only served as a temporary solution to keep the sweat out of his eyes.

"We're almost there," Kagome assured him as she read a map she had purchased from a street vendor a half-hour before.

"Are you certain that's accurate?" Kurama asked, looked down at the map in Kagome's hands. It didn't seem to be the most detailed of maps. Kagome closed the map up; following the proper lines to do so, then handed it to Kurama but didn't answer.

"Do you think that means no?" Yusuke whispered to Kurama as they watched the young woman walk away from them. Kurama shoved the letter towards Yusuke and hurried to catch up with Kagome.

She turned to him, "We're going to the temple at the top of that," she pointed directly ahead. One of the biggest structures Kurama had ever seen loomed before him.

"Doesn't that seem out of place here?" Kurama asked, impressed by the sheer size of the structure.

"Well Mexico City is built upon the ruins of the Aztec empire. And it's only been about 600 years since Cortez came," Kagome explained.

"So what exactly did the clue tell you that led you to come here?"

Kagome grinned at him as she took his wrist and began to hurry towards the pyramid. "It said, don't drink the water for his revenge will find you."

"Moctezuma's revenge…"

The next riddle read something about llamas and the people of the clouds, the Chachapoyan. "We have to go to Peru now?" Yusuke groaned. "We just got here though!"

Kurama glanced at his old friend coldly. "You're the pilot. You're paid to fly, not to complain."

"Way to show the love," Yusuke grumbled as he crawled into his pilot's seat. He turned to look back at his passengers. "I know that it's like eight hours earlier here than it was in Turkey, but we are going to have to sleep eventually you know."

"Sure," Kagome agreed. She met Kurama's questioning gaze. "We'll rest after we find Sir Slate's kids and solve all these riddles." Yusuke cursed under his breath as he started up the plane and took off. Kagome continued to stare at Kurama.

"What?" He finally questioned.

"Those two people from before…" Kagome began. Kurama quirked an eyebrow, silently urging her to continue. "They are friends of yours?"

'**Now she's prying. If you had just kissed her senseless she wouldn't be so nosy now. But no! You had to sit back and let her think about things, didn't you? Now we have to answer her.'**

'_Shutup Youko. I knew your silence was too good to be true.'_ "They were both once friends of both mine and Yusuke's. We all worked together," Kurama explained. He paused, "When were you going to bring up the fact that you're a priestess?"

Kagome's cheeks flushed at the question and she began to fidget. "Oh, well there just didn't seem to be a proper moment to bring it up is all," she shrugged her shoulders and avoided his eyes.

"I see," Kurama answered. **'Ask her how it is that she was able to find the clues so easily,'** Youko demanded. _'I'll ask my own questions, thanks.'_

"How is it that you were able to find the last couple of clues so easily?" Kurama asked his research partner. "Were you tracking the spirit energy trails?"

Kagome blinked in surprise at the accuracy of his questions and thoughts. "Were you able to feel the energy too?"

Kurama crossed his arms and lounged back as far as his safety belts would allow. "You want to tell me how you learned to master your priestess skills? I was under the impression that the actual harnessing of the spiritual powers was no longer practiced."

"Oh, well," Kagome trailed off. She was trying to think of the best lie to tell him without revealing her secret life.

"And I'll know if you're lying," Kurama warned, as if reading her thoughts.

"Very well, but you're going to think I'm insane." Kagome took a deep breath as she tried to collect her thoughts. "When I was a freshman in high school, on my fifteenth birthday I fell down the well behind our house. My family lived in a shrine. And actually I didn't fall down the well, I was pulled into it by this centipede demon."

"Don't stop now," Kurama encouraged.

"It seems that I was the reincarnation of a priestess from 550 years ago and when she died, she was buried with the Shikon no Tama. The jewel was born inside my body and that's why the centipede demon attacked me. She wanted the jewel," Kagome stopped when she noticed the golden glint in Kurama's emerald eyes at the mention of the jewel. "Have you heard of it?"

"What demon hasn't heard of the Shikon no Tama?" Kurama rejoined. He narrowed his eyes at her, "Don't pretend that you didn't already know I was a demon either."

"You don't seem like a demon….exactly." She cleared her throat. "So, basically I met a hanyou and he saved me from the demon and the Shikon no Tama was shattered and we began to collect the pieces. Eventually we had a group of friends that searched for the pieces and fought against a powerful demon that maliciously killed many people."

"Naraku?" Kurama supplied.

"Yes, his name was Naraku," Kagome agreed. "Who are you exactly?"

'**Oh let me tell her!' **

"Once I was Youko Kurama, a demon that lived about five hundred years ago." Kurama pondered how he should explain his situation as an avatar. "Unlike you I was not reborn as a reincarnation. I am more…a merge of two souls in one body."

"Sounds crowded."

'**You have no idea.'**_ 'Shutup Youko!'_

"Did you say something?" Kagome asked, thinking she heard Kurama mutter the words 'You have no idea.'

"No, nothing. I didn't say anything."

"So, any particular reason why your old co-workers were trying to kill us back in Spain?" Kagome questioned after a few more minutes lapsed by. She glanced out the window of the plane, seeing the landscape flash by. It wouldn't take but perhaps half an hour to get from Mexico City to the capital of the Inca world.

"They weren't trying to kill us," Kurama assured her.

"How do you figure that?"

"If Hiei really wanted to kill us he would have released his dark dragon. I'm not sure if I could defeat that if he unleashed its power against us."

"That's comforting." Kagome mumbled.

**OooooOOOOOooooo**

"Yo! How long is it going to take them to get here?"

"I gave them a one week time limit," was the answer.

"What? A week!"

"Ah come on, sit back and enjoy the show my friend."

"Doesn't look like I have much choice, does it?"

"Not any choice at all."

**OooooOOOOOooooo**

"Why are we going to Peru?" Botan called from over her shoulder.

Hiei merely glared at her, refusing to answer. He was annoyed that an entire week of his life would be wasted on some stupid scavenger hunt. Or rather, in this case, he was on an anti-scavenger hunt.

"Fine, don't answer," Botan blew her blue bangs out of her eyes and pet the neck of the donkey she was riding. She wanted to try riding a llama, but apparently they don't really bear the weight of people too well, they were more useful in hauling supplies.

The fresh mountain air was a relief in comparison to the polluted and congested atmosphere of Mexico City. The air was cool from the coast, with the fresh salty breeze from the Pacific. They had thankfully already passed through some of the thick portions of rain forest.

Hiei had used his ability to manipulate both fire and ice to kill all mosquitoes and other insects that had tried to bother them. She was grateful for his actions on that part of their quest so she wouldn't press him too much about participating in conversation with her.

"The Incas were rather interesting people," Botan began. "When someone of royalty died, they didn't bury them and forget about them. They would dress them in fine clothing and have them served by the most competent and pleasing servants. They would carry them around to festivities."

Try as he might, Hiei had to say something about this. "They carried around their dead ancestors?"

"Yes, and their bodies were remarkably well-preserved."

"I'd hope so," Hiei shuddered at the thought. He then gave Botan a cold glare. "Don't think that I'm carrying around your lifeless body should you die."

**OooooOOOOOooooo**

"What's a quipi?" Yusuke asked, looking at the intricately braided and knotted wire necklace type thing in his hands.

"Don't touch that!" Kagome snapped, carefully removing the artifact and placing it back in the airtight box it had been stored in for nearly 500 years. "It's like a journal and a map combined. It tells the date and location of something."

"So this Naymlap, was he a real person or just some god to these cloud people?" Kurama asked from his location on the other side of the burial chamber. He lifted up a small figure of an ebony panther before setting it back in its place gently.

Kagome shrugged. "I honestly don't know. The studies of ancient America was never my focus in school."

"Nor were they mine." Kurama walked back over to Kagome's side to look down at what she held. "So have you figured out how to open it yet?"

The woman grunted but didn't answer as she continued to try and twist and pull the odd object in various directions. **'You should just take it from her. I'll figure it out. I can open it.'**

"Do you mind if I were to try to open it?" Kurama asked politely, trying to ignore Youko's persistent boasts about being able to open the puzzle quickly. Kagome didn't say anything but handed the puzzle box silently to Kurama.

He examined the small jade puzzle. It looked fairly simple. It reminded him a bit of a Rubric's cube. He ran his nails along the smooth surface, hoping to find some sort of catch. It was very miniscule, but he discovered the locking mechanism and opened the box.

Kagome and Yusuke both peered down with him at the contents of the box. Within was the copy of a book. "Is this a joke?" Yusuke asked as he pulled the hardback book out of the box.

"No, it's a scavenger hunt," Kagome corrected.

"The story of Gilgamesh," Kurama announced. He met Kagome's gaze. "Have you read the tale? I'm afraid that I have not."

Kagome shook her head, "No, but I know the gist of it. And I know it takes place in ancient Sumeria or in modern day Iraq."

Yusuke groaned. "But we just came from Turkey!"


End file.
